Decades of Sweet Amp Sounds -- Modeled for Authenticity

Vox's Valvetronix series are the ideal amps for guitarists who need a range of sounds that don't compromise on quality. The VT20+ is a bedroom-sized amp that packs a head-spinning amount of features, all of which are anchored by its authentic tube sound.

Solid State Amp With a Real Tube Heart

One of the most common gripes players have against modeling amps is that they lack the warm sound of the tube amps they try to replicate. The VT20+ may run on a solid-state circuit, but it tackles this problem with its Valve Reactor Circuit. This system uses a 12AX7 tube to recreate all the tonal characteristics and subtleties you'd hear from an authentic tube amp. It lends an entirely new degree of authenticity to those classic amp models.

Tap Into Sounds Spanning Decades -- or Craft Your Own Presets

Speaking of models, you'll never get bored cycling through the VT20+'s selection of tones. There are 33 amp models on board, with everything from vintage Vox to classic American to modern, high-gain beasts represented. Each model comes in three different modes: Basic; Effected, which pairs the model with a matching effect setting; and Song, which recreates some of music's most famous guitar sounds.

Of course, you're able to create your own presets, and with the VT20+'s lineup of 25 different effects (four of which can be used simultaneously) you can brew up some truly unique, space age sounds.

No Slouch on Components

The VT20+ boasts plenty of useful features, like a Power Level control that lets you adjust the amp's max power. By doing so, you can create heinous metal riffs at near-whisper volumes. The headphone output mimics the response of cabinet speakers, making for a lush experience when playing through headphones. An auxiliary input makes this amp a jammer's best friend, and the onboard tuning function means you don't have to fret if you leave your tuner at home.

Of the broad lineup of VOX amps - from large all-tube amps to mini transistor amps - the Valvetronix Series is acclaimed by the broadest range of musicians and is being used in the widest variety of musical scenarios today. Delivering the perfect fusion of great tube amp sound and cutting-edge modeling technology, the original VOX Valve Reactor circuitry made its sensational debut in 2001 as the guitar amp for the 21st century. Since then, it has undergone continual renewal in response to recent developments in amps, and in order to flexibly meet today's needs. Now in 2010, the Valvetronix+ series is once again powerfully and dynamically reborn, offering a larger number of highly evolved amp models than ever before. From the convenient and portable VT20+ to the dual-speaker VT120+, this Valvetronix+ Series delivers the guitar sounds sought after by discerning guitarists of every style.

Tube-powered VOX Valve Reactor Circuit

Every guitar player seeks the power and playability delivered by a tube amp; the fat drive tone, wide dynamic range, subtle picking nuances, and quick response. After painstaking analysis of guitarists' tastes and preferences, VOX has focused on the importance of the power amp circuit in creating the sonic characteristics long sought from tube amps. The VOX Valve Reactor was developed out of this power amp philosophy. Based on a 12AX7 vacuum tube, the Valve Reactor circuit at the heart of every Valvetronix+ Series amp perfectly reproduces the operation, subtle nuances, and tonal character of a real tube-powered amp.

More Amp Models

The Valvetronix+ Series boasts an amazing collection of 33 distinct amp models - a ground-breaking milestone for Valvetronix amplifiers. In addition, the Valvetronix+ represents a giant leap in quality. The preamp EQ features Bass, Middle and Treble controls for precise tone-shaping. Beginning with classic VOX amps such as the AC30, the diverse amp model selection continues to encompass coveted amps from the pages of history, as well as the next step in high-gain amps, providing a sound selection that spans the ages. Call up the sound of an old favorite, or experiment with amps you may never have tried - sought-after amps played by your guitar heroes, rare boutique amps, and vintage amps - and pursue unexplored sonic paths.

25 Diverse, High-Quality Effects

One of the best features of VOX modeling amps is the ability to combine the built-in effects with the onboard amp models to create a complete and powerful sound. Just as with the effects, the Valvetronix+ Series makes no compromise when it comes to effects, boasting a level of quality that rivals top standalone units. The broad array of effects is divided into two sections: Pedal effects such as distortion, wah, and compressor; and Modulation/Delay effects such as chorus, flanger, and tape echo. In each section, there are 11 effects to choose from. Featuring easy-to-use settings, you can simultaneously select the effect type and adjust its parameters. In addition, there are three types of Reverb (Room, Spring, and Hall). With the addition of Noise Reduction, up to four different effects can be used at the same time.

99 Preset Programs

The musicians at VOX have put together 99 preset programs, expertly voiced and ready for immediate use. Each of the 33 amp models provides three presets: Basic, Effected, and Song. An Effected preset calls up the correct combination of effect type and setting for a particular style.

Song presets are just like Effected presets; each one is a faithful recreation of the signature sound used by a famous guitarist to perform one of their classic tracks. Of course you're also free to edit any preset - or start from scratch with the manual setting - and save up to eight of your own custom sounds to the User presets.

Beyond the Numbers

One of the greatest advances from previous Valvetronix models is the astounding sense of power generated by the Valvetronix+ Series. The power amp section has the potential to significantly exceed the wattage value indicated by the model name - as indicated by the shaded section of the Power Level knob. The Valvetronix+ Series also feature a re-voiced VOX original design speaker that is sure to amaze you with a powerful sound that you would not expect from a chassis and speaker of this size. These fine Valvetronix+ amplifiers genuinely deliver sonic power that cannot be expressed by mere numbers.

Seize the Power

The sense of drive produced in the tube power stage is what defines the inimitably fat and warm tone that's at the core of a great guitar amp sound. The tube-driven Valve Reactor circuitry is at the heart of recreating this sound. Volume, Gain, and Master Volume controls provide key levels of controlling your gain to achieve a wealth of clean, overdriven and distorted sounds. In addition, these Valvetronix+ Series amplifiers feature an altogether unique Power Level control. By lowering the Power Level, it's possible to achieve high levels of gain and distortion at any listening level. And, as was mentioned above, reserve power can also be dialed in using the Power Level control when you really need your amp to scream. The Power Level control allows you to take full advantage of the Valvetronix+ Series potential in any situation.

Convenient and Versatile

The headphone out jack can also be used as a direct line output. This output is equipped with the simulated response and character of a speaker cabinet, so you'll enjoy the natural spatial sense of playing through speakers, even when using headphones or when connected to a mixer or recording system. Plug your CD or MP3 player into the AUX input jack and enjoy jamming along with your favorite songs. In addition, the tuning function needed by every guitarist is built in, eliminating the need for a separate tuner.

Optional VFS5 Footswitch Operation

Plug in the optional VFS5 footswitch is connected, and use your feet to switch programs, turn the reverb and other effects on/off, and control their speed, providing additional options for sonic creativity and live performance power.

Amp Model List (33)

*Three versions of each amp model are provided: Standard, Special, and Custom.

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"Superb amp, Superb customer service"

Sound:
The moment you hear it you know it's a Vox amp. Great mids and hi's with a smooth bass. The amp models sound very realistic and it sure screams like a tube amp when pushed!
Feature:
Simply amazing.
Ease of Use:
For most parts the controls are very straight forward. The amp presets, effects and pedals, reverb, and all the basic controls are very clearly laid out and easy to access. The song presets however requires a manual to be reach its full potential. Overall, compared to several other modelling amps I've used, the VT20+ is one of the most intuitive.
Quality:
The Amp looks very sturdy and there was only one issue - the grille cloth tend to buzz loudly on certain amp settings, which was annoying. I may try to tighten the cloth sometime later, but for now turning down the bass does help a bit. Other than that great, great quality.
Value:
You'd be hard pressed to find a better value modelling amp at this price point. Or even amps in general.
Manufacturer Support:
The first unit I received was defective and I had to return it. I bought the amp in US but lives in Canada. But superb customer service! The guys at zzounds showed me step by step on how to do an international return. Best customer service I've had in years.
Overall:
Best thing you can find at this price. If you're on a budget this is the perfect amp for you, great for small gigs or just jamming at home.

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"Great practice amp, but has a bit of a learning curve"

Overall:
Out of all of the popular low-cost, low-power modeling amps (Fender Mustang I, Line 6 Spider IV 15, Peavey Vypyr 15, Roland Cube 20XL, and the Vox VT20+), the Vox was the clear winner for me.
I almost passed it over after a quick test, however. But I am glad that I decided to give it a second chance, fiddling around with the knobs quite a bit.
I found that the presets are mostly junk. Only maybe 20% of the "green" presets (dry / limited effects) are usable. Most of the "yellow" presets (wet / heavy effects) are horrible. The "red" (song) presets are decent, with most sounding pretty close to the songs they attempt to recreate.
Where this amp really shines is in manual mode. But it does take some time to really figure out how to get the best sounds out of it.
The EQ on most of the models has a rather shrill high end, so you need to dial back the treble. In fact, my usual starting point for all 3 EQ knobs is at 10 o'clock, not 12 o'clock as would be typical.
The small 8" speaker puts out a surprising amount of bass, but out of the box it is pretty muddy. Dialing down the bass knob helps a bit, but what really fixed things was to stuff the speaker cabinet with a small pillow (I found this recommendation on the Vox official forums). Don't laugh or discount this! It really helped to tighten up the bass and low midrange.
The 3 separate volume controls (volume, master volume, and power level) can get confusing and take some getting used to. You need to experiment with them to find what works best. Here are my recommendations:
* Keep the power level as high as possible, but no higher than 20 watts. There is a lot of hiss once you get past around 10 o'clock. Raise it until the hiss becomes unbearable, then back it down a bit. But even if you can live with the hiss past the 20-watt setting, I don't recommend going any higher unless you absolutely need the extra volume (which most likely will not be often, this amp is quite loud at 20 watts for in-home use, and it is not intended as a gigging amp). Around 11 o'clock is where I typically have this knob set.
* The master volume regulates how hard the (real, but little) tube in the power section is driven. Raising this does give a nice, warm breakup, but once you go over 2 o'clock, it starts to sound a bit harsh. I usually keep the master volume set somewhere between 10 o'clock and 12 o'clock.
* I then use the volume knob to regulate the overall loudness. Often this is set quite low because I have the master volume and power level set fairly high. Don't go below 9 o'clock, however, because things start to sound bad below this. If you need less volume, then dial back the master volume and/or power level rather than going lower than 9 o'clock on the volume knob.
* The actual volume level for different amp models can vary greatly. This can sometimes get annoying.
So my starting point is as follows:
Gain: 12 o'clock
Volume: 10 o'clock
Treble: 10 o'clock
Middle: 10 o'clock
Bass: 10 o'clock
Master Volume: 11 o'clock
Power Level: 11 o'clock
Pedal Value: Off
Effects Depth: Off
Reverb: Just below 12 o'clock (spring reverb, level around 1/3 of maximum)
From there, it usually only takes slight adjustment of each knob to nail the sound I am looking for.
The "effectiveness" of the 3-band EQ varies greatly between different amp models. For some models, the EQ knobs have little effect, while for others, the tone is vastly changed with relatively small movements of the knobs. And on a few of the amp models, the EQ is "interactive" -- for instance, adjusting the treble can have some effect on the middle and/or bass frequencies. These EQ "quirks" are based on how the amp being modeled actually behaves.
The pedal (stompbox) and rack effects work pretty well, and the reverb is quite nice. There are 3 types of reverb -- room, spring, and hall. I mostly prefer the spring reverb, and sometimes the room reverb. The hall reverb is rarely used.
There is an onboard tuner, but it unfortunately is rather limited. Only standard tuning is supported; you can't even tune drop D with it. The tuner works reasonably well, but an actual chromatic tuner should have been included.
In conclusion, the Vox VT20+ is an excellent modeling amp that is great for in-home use. It can get quite loud, but does start to sound bad when really pushed to its maximum volume, most likely because of the small 8" speaker. You need to spend a good deal of time with this amp to really take advantage of its potential. If you want an amp that you can get good, useable sounds right out of the box with no fiddling, you might want to look elsewhere. Once you learn its quirks and shortcomings, though, your patience will be rewarded, as the Vox Valvetronix system is the most natural-sounding, entry-level modeling amp on the market.

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